


For You to Notice

by rudennotgingr



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-20
Updated: 2014-05-21
Packaged: 2018-01-25 21:27:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,515
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1663043
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rudennotgingr/pseuds/rudennotgingr
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rose and James attempt to navigate their rocky friendship before graduation, before everyone leaves her behind.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Approaching the End

**Author's Note:**

> This is a sort of high school AU, without taking place in class lol. Written as a gift for thedoctordanceswithrose. Unbeta'd, all mistakes are mine.

Rose gave her mom a quick hug on the way out the door, assuring her that yes, she would be safe. And no, she would not be doing _that_ , even though boys would be in attendance. It was only one night, she would be back the following morning, no need to worry.

Jackie had finally stopped lecturing upon Rose's third eye roll. Instead her mom had nodded repeatedly, moisture gathering in her eyes as she watched Rose with a softness that wasn't usually there.

Sighing, Rose adjusted her backpack then gave her mom another hug. This time a little bit longer, a little bit tighter. Her mom held her close and took a deep breath.

"I just can't believe my little girl is all grown up," Jackie choked out, breaking the embrace to cup Rose's cheeks.

"I'll always be your little girl, mom," Rose assured, feeling the sting of tears herself. They had been through a lot over the years, just the two of them. Even though her mother sometimes drove her crazy, she wouldn't trade her for anything.

"And don't you forget it,” she retorted with mock sternness, the creases at the corners of her eyes giving her true feelings away. “Now go on, get out of here before I change my mind. Have fun sweetheart." Jackie gave Rose a kiss on the forehead then pushed her towards the door.

Calling a last goodbye over her shoulder, Rose left their tiny apartment and headed towards the stairs. She was too wound up to wait for the elevator. She felt like a big ball of anxiety and excitement, too many hormones and chemicals that she never fully caught the name of during bio bouncing around inside her. It was only two more days till graduation, till the final leap into adulthood, till...she no longer had a clue as to what she was doing.

Bounding down the last few steps and then rushing towards the building's exit, she pushed those thoughts to the back of her mind. She could dwell on that more tomorrow. Today and tonight were supposed to be about the excitement part. It was one last tiny hoorah with her group of friends.

An impromptu camping trip before they all went their separate ways.

Before they all moved on and forgot about her.

.....

The day had started off brilliant. Finding a secluded spot in the woods only fifteen minutes out of town, the group had made quick work of setting up the tent Martha had provided. It was practically new, something her father had no doubt bought in one of the competitions he had with Martha's mother. They were divorced and always trying to one up each other for Martha's affection. Rose knew Martha loved them equally and was often frustrated at being caught in the middle, though she never let it show.

They weren't planning on using the tent, it was supposed to be a beautiful night, the kind you wanted to spend in the open under the stars. But there was also a chance of rain. So Mickey, in a rare moment of foresight, had suggested they set it up right away and use it as a place to store their things if nothing else.

James and his sister Donna, who had graduated the year before, were also there. Donna claimed only to be there at their parents' insistence. James, running a hand through his unruly brown hair, insisted it was only to bother him. Either way, Rose was thankful for their distraction. Mickey and Martha had just started dating a month ago, and while Rose had been the one to break it off with Mickey several months before that...she couldn't help the sharp pang of loneliness twisting in her heart.

The five of them enjoyed the early morning and afternoon, lazing about and then wandering to the nearby creek. James and Mickey got into an argument when it came to deciding where the best place to cross would be, each insisting their way was best.

“My way is safer!” Mickey insisted.

“My way is just as safe!” James shot back, standing up to his full height. “ _And_ it has an added element of fun. What’s the point of crossing the creek and not getting wet at all? Are you scared of a tiny bit of water?”

“I am not!”

Rose, used to their brotherly antics and banters that were usually about more than what could be seen on the surface, rolled her eyes and waded into the water with Martha and Donna following close behind. The sound of their laughter, finally pulled the boys to their senses and they each huffed and crossed the cool water, swearing and muttering about women under their breath.

They walked along the wind of the creek bed until they could no longer ignore the rumbling in their stomachs. Trying to pull the same authoritative act as Rose had earlier, Mickey crossed into the water to get back to the other side without any warning. He pulled Martha along beside him. She slipped once and only kept from falling entirely thanks to Mickey's grip on her hand. Donna followed once they reached the other side, suddenly mindful of the time and needing to get back home to prepare for her date with Lee.

At James' insistence, Rose went into the creek before him. She was about halfway across, the water coming up mid calf, when her foot caught on something unseen beneath the surface. She pitched forward, arms windmilling uselessly in the air. She was sure she would end up face down, and she had a terrifying image of hitting her head on a rock, bright red blood mixing with the murky water. Strong hands grabbed her around the waist, stopping her fall before hauling her upwards.

Her heart beat rapidly in her chest, sped on by the warmth of the body pressed behind her, chasing away the icy fear that had gripped her moments before. Slowly, James turned her around to face him. She bit her lower lip and looked down, focusing on the current bending around their legs.

One hand released her waist, moving to gently tilt her chin upwards until she was forced to meet his gaze. She swallowed hard, willing her tears to stay put and not embarrass herself any further. But there was no judgement in his eyes, just a subtle sense of worry and compassion. She let out a ragged breath, her heart still racing and her chest heaving with the effort it was taking to breath. 

He remembered.

"I was just...I thought..." she trailed off, her voice shaky and unable to string the right words together. Instead she pointed at her temple, where a very faint scar ran back into her hairline. She had taken a nasty tumble in a gymnastics practice in the seventh grade, splitting her head open and knocking her unconscious for several hours. James was the first person she saw upon waking up. That had been years ago, back when they had been inseparable. Before high school. Before new friends and...before Jimmy.

James flicked his eyes to her scar, tucking a strand of blonde hair behind her ear and nodding in understanding. It had taken Rose months, and a lot of encouragement from him, to get back out and try again. She had managed to finish out the year, take the bronze in the competition, and then call it quits.

He tucked her against his chest, wrapping his arms around her and keeping her steady as the water flowed past them. She placed her arms around his waist, holding tight and trying to calm her breathing. His heart pounded heavily, she could feel the strong beat where their bodies were pressed close together, the odd echoing making her feel like she had two hearts instead of one. Or maybe it was him who had two, after all he still had...no.

She tried to bury old thoughts and feelings as deep as she could. They were childish and naive and he would be gone in a week. It had been a youthful crush and nothing more. Yet, she couldn't bring herself to let him go.

"Let's go. Before we catch a cold from standing in this freezing water." James pulled back and released her but it wasn't long before his hand was clasped around hers. "Honestly, Rose, how can you stand it? Wearing nothing but... _that_?" He gestured his free hand in the general vicinity of her legs, his eyes clearly fixated on the skin that her shorts were _not_ covering. 

"I..I dunno," she stammered, feeling a blush creep into her cheeks. The truth was that although the water was indeed freezing...it wasn’t very high. Maybe he would make that observation if he wasn’t so busy observing something else. "Didn't think I would be standing in the creek in the ice cold water for half an hour,” she teased, her tongue poking out between her teeth.

"Right." His eyes snapped back to hers, and she was delighted to see a hint of pink beneath the freckles dusting his cheeks. "Sorry. Come on."

The others had continued without them, either ignorant of the fact that Rose had slipped or intentionally ignoring the fact that the pair had fallen behind. Rose didn't mind. She walked back to the camp site with James, talking and joking with their hands clasped between them like they hadn't done for a very long time. To Rose it felt like it was the way they were always meant to be. Just the two of them against the world.

If only this had happened sooner.

…..

Rose’s laughter died on her lips, her heart that had been soaring above the trees plummeted to the ground as they emerged from the tree line and back into their campground. Standing across the way, was Jimmy. His arm was slung around the shoulders of his new girlfriend, Christina, in a possessive manner. Yet his eyes found Rose’s almost immediately, and she felt her insides churn as unpleasant memories bubbled to the surface.

Mickey gave her an apologetic smile over his shoulder, which Rose tried her best to return. There was a time all of them had been good friends, in the innocence of their youth. Even though Rose knew Mickey and Martha were just trying to be civil, and boring enough that Jimmy and Christina would decide to leave, she couldn’t help but feel that her best friends had betrayed her.

At that moment, just when she thought things couldn’t get any worse, Mickey shifted and gave Rose a peek at the other person who had crashed their hang out. Reinette, the student from France who had transferred in during their tenth grade year. She was beautiful and intelligent and everything Rose wished she could be. She also never kept her affections for James a secret, always fawning over him and following him around. That was the year Rose’s friendship with James had started to really strain, almost to the point of breaking.

Rose wanted to run as far away as she could. Her fun filled evening with friends had turned into a nightmare. Mickey and Martha had done wonders at not rubbing their happiness in everyone else’s face...but Donna had apparently already left. And no doubt James would leave her side any minute to go chat up the prettiest girl in school. It was all too much.

Something tightened around her hand and she jerked her head around to find James watching her closely. She could only imagine how she looked to him right now, eyes wide and all color drained from her face. Her hand had gone limp in his from the shock, and too late she tried to recapture his fingers. He pulled away and walked around the back side of the tent. It was the long way to get to where the others stood, but the fact remained...he had left her.

Despair creeped over her, rising higher and higher over her head until she felt like she was drowning. She was being silly, over dramatic...but right now, it felt like her life was ending. Everyone had moved on and found someone else. She would be left behind, just like she always was.

Jimmy looked back to her and whispered something in Christina’s ear. The dark haired girl’s blue eyes shot to her and Rose knew the inevitable was coming. Now that James was no longer by her side, Jimmy saw any easy target. A target he was aiming for as he released Christina and took slow measured steps in Rose’s direction.

She was frozen to the spot. She should leave, run into the trees...not like anyone but Jimmy would mind. And she didn’t give a shit about whether he would miss her presence or not. James may have left her alone, but he wouldn’t let Jimmy come after her either. He had made that clear to Jimmy the first time Rose had come home with a fat lip. She had denied it in front of her mother, but had crumbled in James’ arms once they were alone in her room, sobbing the truth into his chest. He had stayed until she had fallen asleep. And it wasn’t until lunch period the next day that Rose caught sight of Jimmy’s black eye. That had been a blessing in disguise. She had hit rock bottom, but her friendship with James had finally started to heal.

She took several steps back before bumping into a tree. Jimmy was only a few feet away now, and Rose was trying to gather enough wits to try and move again when a hand found hers. Tearing her gaze from Jimmy, her eyes found James’ brown ones staring back, a hint of mischief dancing in their depths.

“Run,” he hissed, more in warning than as an order. She had a split second to register the word before he had turned, running off between the trees and tugging her along, their fingers laced together once more.

.....

They ran through the trees until her calves ached and her lungs burned for air. She didn’t ask where they were going, but judging by the intent way he lead her forward, James knew their destination. She focused on the solid feel of his hand around hers, the uneven ground flying under her feet. Brown and green blurred past her and his red backpack bounced haphazardly on his back. The chirping birds and buzzing insects became muted as blood rushed in her ears.

She was about to beg him to stop, just so she could catch her breath, when they burst into a clearing. Her eyes roamed the area as she came to a jerky halt beside him, her labored breathing somehow catching in her throat. They were at the edge of a meadow, lush green grass dotted here and there with blue and purple flowers that rippled in the breeze. It looked completely untouched, almost sacred, and she hesitated when he tugged her gently forward by the hand.

Finding a spot near the middle of the clearing, James released her hand and slipped his backpack off his shoulder and dropped it to the ground. Crouching down, he began wordlessly digging through the contents of the bag. In order to prevent herself from watching the way his muscles moved beneath the tight fabric of his dark blue t-shirt, she flopped down on the grass beside him. Laying on her back she spread her arms wide and let the sun warm her skin, pleasant tingles suffusing her limbs. Fluffy white clouds drifted lazily in the bright blue sky and Rose found it easy to feel at peace.

“It’s beautiful here,” she breathed.

James turned to look at her, his smirk vanishing as he did a double take. Her heart skipped several beats as his eyes took in her outstretched form. She felt suddenly self conscious and wished she had decided on more than shorts and a pink camisole. He shook his head, gave her a brief smile then busied himself with his back pack.

Rose sat up, attempting to shake the weight of his eyes on her skin and the way it sent butterflies fluttering in her stomach. Her plan to bump his shoulder and tease him about his bag being bigger on the inside vanished as a tiny streak of yellow and black buzzed by her head. Squealing, she instinctively attached herself to his arm, burying her face in his shoulder and pulling her knees to her chest.

James' laughter rang out across the empty space as he rocked unsteadily on the balls of his feet. She jerked away as if his shirt had caught fire, a scowl on her face.

"No, no, no," he hurried to say between chuckles as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “I wasn’t making fun of you. Well, not really. I just…” he paused, his brown eyes radiating warmth, and Rose realized just how close their faces were. “I forgot how jumpy you were around things that buzz. I missed it.” He looked as shocked as she felt that the last sentence had slipped out and he hastened to cover it up. “Bumblebees are actually rather docile creatures. Honey bees are too, as a matter of fact. But bumblebees take a lot more to get riled up than honey bees. Did you know--”

“James,” she cut in, smiling up at him.

“Sorry...I was rambling wasn’t I?” He looked at her sheepishly a tugged at his ear, a nervous tick she had always found endearing.

“Yeah. And while I really don’t mind, I was just sort of wondering if there was some food in that bag of yours that I could eat while you lectured me on bees and how I shouldn’t be afraid of them. Even though, the next time one comes buzzing near my face I am liable to leap into your lap.”

He opened his mouth as if to say something, then snapped it shut. Whatever it was, he had changed his mind. She began to panic that she had gone too far and she dug her teeth into her bottom lip to prevent herself from simply blurting out that she was sorry. He gave her a wink then stuck his hand into the bag and fished out a pair of sandwiches with a wide grin.

Maybe they would be ok.


	2. A New Beginning

They sat facing each other on the grass, knees from their crossed legs touching as they ate the food James had shoved in his backpack. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, two bananas, and a bottle of water for each of them. They had eaten in relative silence at first, watching grey clouds roll in, neither knowing quite what to say. They had gone through so many hot and cold phases with no discernible pattern that there was always a brief awkward period when things started to go well between them again.

It hadn’t taken long for James to do what he was best at. Talk. He didn’t push her as to what was bothering her, choosing to divert her attention with random trivia instead. It was a tactic he had used with her often. She wasn’t ready to open up about it, so she was immensely grateful that he knew just what she needed. He probably already knew what was upsetting her anyway.

Downing the last of her drink, Rose noticed a bit of jelly on the corner of his mouth. Without thinking, she set her empty bottle aside and leaned forward. She cleaned it off with a quick swipe of her thumb while he was in mid sentence, part of some long winded explanation about predicting weather patterns. He had gone silent the moment she had leaned closer, watching her intently. He reached up to snatch her wrist as she pulled her hand away, his tongue flicking out over the spot her thumb had been. She giggled at the cross eyed look on his face as he examined the sticky substance on her thumb, smacking his lips in an attempt to place the flavor.

Her giggles turned into a muffled choking sound as he popped her thumb in his mouth, sucking off the excess jelly. Her insides turned to mush and she nearly melted on the spot when he circled her thumb with his tongue. She felt dizzy and overheated and she swore the air shifted around them, becoming heavy and charged with some powerful unseen force. She tried to bat those thoughts aside, placing the blame on reading one too many of her mom's romance novels. There was no way the he...that they...

James drew her thumb slowly out of his mouth, his lips curling around it until there was nothing but air. His eyes anchored her in place, seemingly darker than usual. Rose felt as if they were suspended in time, just the two of them in their own bubble, their own quiet pocket of the universe. He lowered her hand but didn't let go and tentatively leaned forward. She was pulled towards him like a magnet, her breathing shallow and her brain still screaming that this couldn't possibly be happening.

His eyes dropped to her mouth just before they brushed noses, a gentle reminder that she wasn't dreaming. This was real. Somehow he was here and he was going to kiss her. Her eyes fluttered shut and she shivered as his warm breath puffed over her lips.

There was a crack overhead that reverberated in her ear drums and large droplets of water pelted her bare skin. She shrieked and ducked her head, fairly certain that she heard him groan. Her heart ached when she looked up and caught the sad look on his face as rain drops plastered his hair to his forehead. She wasn't sure what was going on between them or why it had taken so long for them to test the boundaries they had drawn for themselves. Or that it was even a good idea to do so with his departure looming so close. Right then, she didn't care.

She threw her head back and laughed at the absurdity of the situation, letting the rain hit her face. The shift in the air was from the sudden down pour, it hadn't been her imagination after all. She had lived in the area long enough to know that this one would be brief. As if struck by lightning, she jumped to her feet and grinned widely at the puzzled look on his face.

"Dance with me?" she asked with more courage than she felt, urging him by jangling the arm he still held at her wrist. He furrowed his brow, making her afraid he would say no, take the rain as a sign that they shouldn't be doing this. "You never did make it to prom and give me that dance like you promised," she pressed, hoping that the reminder would spur him into action and not make things worse.

James scrambled to his feet, towering over her as his eyes flashed. "I didn't see the point in going if I was only getting one dance."

"What?" she squeaked, taken aback by his aggressive stance while her brain tried to piece together the meaning in his words.

"I wanted them all," he growled, placing his free hand on the small of her back and yanking her towards him. She swallowed hard, their lower bodies pressed close together and the implications of his statement making her head swim.

He flashed a dazzling smile, diffusing the moment, and began twirling her around the field. The grass tickled her ankles and the rain matted her hair to her head and the back of her neck. But she could feel the warmth of his body through their thin layers and was pleasantly surprised that he could actually _dance_. It was perfect.

Before long they were giggling and making up dramatic moves in an effort to trip the other up. Neither had succeeded so far, each of them able to anticipate the other’s movements, no matter how ridiculous they were. James pulled her up from a dip, her head light and fuzzy from the sudden blood displacement and from being held in his arms. Her hands gripped his biceps while his were splayed over her lower back, making her feel safe and acutely aware of every place they were touching. Their gazes locked, both panting with exertion, and Rose distantly noticed that the rain had stopped.

They tilted their heads to the sky, basking in the sun as it peeked through the clouds. A rainbow was forming over the trees and she smiled, breathing in the clean air.

"So, do you want to talk about it?" James asked quietly after a moment.

Rose's smile slipped and she stiffened, then shook her head. She could feel his eyes on her face, pinning her down. “It’s silly,” she mumbled, trying to brush it off.

“I bet it’s not.” He paused as she looked at him uncertainly. His thumbs rubbed small circles over her back. “You can tell me,” he whispered, his eyes soft and earnest. 

“It’s just…” she took a deep breath, looking down and idly toying with the damp hems of his sleeves. “Do you ever feel lost? Everyone has everything figured out. Mickey and Martha are happy and know what they are doing after graduation. Even Jimmy has some sort of plan. I…” she sucked in a breath, trying to keep her emotions in check. How did he always know what do or say to get her to open up? The realization that he would be gone in a few days came crashing down on her, leaving a bitter taste in her mouth. “Of course you don’t know what I’m talking about. You’re leaving next week. And I’m going to be stuck here, alone, with no goals, no plans...nothing. The only one I can blame really is myself. I either don’t know what I want...or it’s something I can’t have.” She chanced a glance up at him as she whispered the last bit. She meant him, knew it more certainly now than she ever did before. The truth of it scared her and broke her heart.

James searched her face, a flicker of something she couldn’t read in his eyes. She didn’t have the energy to figure it out anymore. She felt tired and beat down, her muscles ached and what she should do and what she wanted to do continued to war within her. Feeling on the verge of tears, she buried her face in his chest and wrapped her arms around his neck. He held her close while his hands brushed up and down her back in a consistent, soothing rhythm.

He pulled away, well before she was ready, and she bit back a sob. Taking her hand, he turned and headed back to where his backpack had been forgotten while they had danced in the rain. After picking up his bag, shaking the water off as best he could, he directed them to the tree line.

He was taking her back to camp, where he would probably leave her alone.

She had ruined everything.

…..

The walk back wasn’t as bad as she thought it would be. They talked as if nothing had happened in the meadow. As if they hadn’t danced, as if she hadn’t bared a part of her soul...as if they hadn’t nearly kissed. She wasn’t sure whether to be thankful or angry. She felt once again torn in two. But somewhere between bumping shoulders and sneaking glances at each other she finally decided that she would enjoy these moments with him. Who knew if she would even get to spend more time with him after tonight. If she was going to be stuck in this town alone, she would rather not add to her pile of regrets.

When they reached the campsite, the sun was setting and they were now mostly dry. She was happy to see that Mickey and Martha were the only two remaining. The four of them split up tasks to start a fire and make dinner. They sat around the fire, eating and reminiscing well into the night. Rose couldn’t help the grin that spread over her face when James had plopped next to her, his arm loosely draped around her shoulders. Her heart stuttered every time his fingers brushed across her arm, giving her goose bumps despite the warmth from the fire and the heat from his body against her side.

The fire was burning low when Mickey and Martha decided to turn in, opting for the tent in case it rained again. She tried to ignore Mickey's knowing smile as he set the extra sleeping bags outside the tent before zipping the flap, leaving her alone with James once more. Her head rested on his shoulder and she tried to stifle a yawn, wanting to make the most of the time they had.

He rested his head on hers and she noticed a subtle tension creep into his body, his shoulders shaking as his breathing faltered. "Lay with me?" he murmured into her hair, so softly she almost missed it.

Adrenaline flooded her system and sleep abruptly became an after thought, even though she knew his question was innocent. Not wanting to sound overly enthusiastic, she only nodded in response. They had done this many times before, sharing a sleeping space without any of _that_ going on between them. Had it been any other guy she would have thought he was asking just to get one more notch on his belt before graduation. But not James.

Exhaling roughly, he gave her shoulders a brief squeeze before standing up and going to retrieve their items from where Mickey had placed them outside the tent. She watched anxiously as he unwrapped the sleeping bags and then zipped them together to form one big enough to share. She scuffed her trainers in the dirt, willing her heart to slow down as he spread the material over the ground away from the tent and the smoldering embers.

She wiped her clammy hands on her shorts as he walked back over to her, stopping to offer his hand. After he pulled her to her feet, she dropped his hand and wrapped her arms around herself. With the loss of the fire, she shivered in the darkness and shuffled forward. His hand found the small of her back, guiding her gently and providing a small amount of warmth. 

They toed their trainers off in silence, afraid of ruining whatever was happening between them. Rose climbed into the sleeping bag from one side while James fit his long frame in from the other. Laying on her back, she wriggled around in an effort to get comfortable. What she really wanted was to curl up against his side. The heat his body radiated called out to her and she grumbled to herself as she tried to find a suitable spot for her head. Why hadn’t she thought to bring a pillow?

“Lift your head up,” he whispered beside her.

Glancing at him briefly before returning her eyes to the stars, dancing between the leaves, she lifted her head as high as she could without propping herself up on her arms. She heard him shift beside her and bit her lip, willing herself to be still.

“Ok, lie back.”

Rose put her head back down slowly, stiffening in shock when she came into contact with something firm yet comfortable. She held her breath, listening to the rustle of the fabric and his shallow breathing as his hand inched closer to her side. His arm curled around her and his hand settled on her ribs. They sighed in unison, relaxing and gazing at the partially hidden night sky.

"Remember when we used to lay out in your trampoline at night and watch the stars?" he asked, his voice quiet and wistful.

"Yeah. And how bad we wished we could travel them." She sighed, remembering when things had seemed so much simpler...when she couldn’t wait to grow up. "We were so young and naive then. Thinking we could just travel the universe together.”

There was a beat of silence and she knew he was trying to reach a decision on something from the way his fingers drummed on her side.

"Come with me." His voice was heavy and thick, wrapping around her like an extra blanket. 

"What?" Rose turned in his arm, twisting to look at his face. Surely she had heard him wrong. His head was tilted towards her and it was hard to read his expression in the darkness. But she could tell whatever he had said, he wasn’t joking.

“Come with me,” he repeated, altering his position so that they lay on their sides facing each other. Her head was still pillowed on his arm, but the angle had forced his hand to slip, only allowing his fingertips to brush against her back.

Her heart raced in her chest and she squinted, searching his eyes for the joke she had missed. Try as she might, she couldn’t find it. Even if he did mean it...there was no way she would be able to. And she didn’t quite understand why. Her brain was a jumbled heap of hope and denial, of confusion and frustration. She blurted the first thing that came to mind, “You know you sound completely crazy, right?”

“Yes, and I don’t care,” he replied, encouraged by the fact that she had finally responded. “I know my mother is less than thrilled that I decided to travel before leaping straight to college, but it’s what I want. And...and I want you to come with me.”

“James...I...I don’t have any money. There’s no--”

“I have enough,” he interrupted. “For the both of us.”

“I can’t ask you to do that,” she shook her head as best she could, feeling tears prick her eyes. Here he was, practically begging her to run away with him and she was throwing every excuse as to why she shouldn’t back in his face.

“You didn’t. I’m offering. I want to. I _want_ you.” He brushed the stray strands of hair from her face, trailing his thumb down her temple until it rested on her cheek, brushing gently over her skin.

Rose swallowed, not missing the change of inflection in his words. They weren’t talking about traveling anymore. His hand tangled slightly in her hair and his thumb on her face were making it hard to concentrate. “Me?” she choked out in stunned disbelief.

“You,” he assured, not missing a beat, while scooting closer and wedging a knee between hers.

“But I thought…” she trailed off, her stomach flipping as his leg slid against hers. She wasn’t sure how to express all her doubts; arguments about Jimmy and Reinette and even Mickey flashed through her mind.

“You were wrong.” He paused and when he next spoke, she caught the rare vulnerability in his voice. “And until today I thought--”

“It’s always been you,” she cut him off, needing him to understand that even through their rough patches, he was the one she had always wanted.

His mouth hung open and she desperately wished there was more light to see by. She hadn’t meant for quite that much to come out. Doubting how he felt about her was one thing. But her uncertainty had seemed insignificant when compared to him thinking she had never wanted him. She searched his eyes, trying to find a hint as to whether or not she had made a mistake. His silence seemed to stretch on forever and anxiety weighed down on her, making it hard to breathe.

He blinked and she felt a change ripple through him. His hand slid to fully tangle in her hair at the back of her neck and he pulled her closer as he moved forward at the same time. His mouth crashed into hers and their noses bumped from the awkward angle and his lips were slightly chapped from being out in the sun. But his urgency struck a chord deep within her and all the imperfections added up to something perfect and special and completely them.

She gripped the front of his shirt, moving her mouth in time with his, reveling in the warm tingles that were spreading over her body. He dropped his hand to her waist and rolled on top of her in one sure movement. She gasped, the feel of him pressed all along her causing the flood gates to burst and all the teenage hormones coursed through her like wild fire. Wants and needs and lines that shouldn’t be crossed all became blurred as she gave herself over to his demands.

His tongue swept along the seam of her lips and she opened for him readily, eager to take things as far as he wanted to go. So this was what happened when love and lust collided. She was buzzing with energy, alive and full of hope. She wrapped her arms around him, plunging her hands in his hair the way she had always wanted but never dared. She was trembling beneath him, each push and pull of their tongues, leaving her wanting more. The fact that he seemed to be in complete control while she was slowly falling apart beneath him, and he hadn’t even properly _touched_ her yet, was driving her crazy.

She nipped his lip in an effort to retaliate, but the resulting buck of his hips back fired and made her groan as he pressed into her. He broke the kiss and she was pleased to note that he was breathing just as heavily as she was, his eyes dark with the same need that sparked along her every nerve.

“So, Rose Tyler...was that a yes?” he asked with a smirk, the low timbre of his voice shooting darts of pleasure to her abdomen.

Rolling her eyes, she pulled his face back to hers, stopping just before their mouths touched.

“You’re the smart one,” she teased against his lips. “What do you think?”

He jerked his head back, looking at her in concern. “Rose, you are every bit as--”

“James.”

“I...yes?” he asked, his brow furrowed even deeper in confusion.

“I want you to stop talking and...” she arched up to brush her lips over his neck, “kiss me.”

“Oh,” he drew the word out in slow realization. He nuzzled his nose against hers with a goofy grin on his face, and she couldn’t help but return the smile. “Quite right too,” he whispered before pressing his lips to hers once more.

They still had a lot to figure out in the next week, and she didn’t even know where they were going. But she did know one thing, wherever it was, whatever it was...it was going to be fantastic.


End file.
